No.21 March 2019

The Magazine of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand NO.21 MARCH 2019 Proud sponsors of New Zealand 3 From the President's Desk Find us in your local New World or PAKn’ Save 4 2019 NZ Conference and 80th AGM 5 Dr Helen Taylor Honoured 6 NZ Bird Atlas to Launch on 1st June 7 Birds New Zealand Research Fund Reports 10 Chatham Island Snipe - our littlest snipe 14 Nest Predation and Climate Change 15 Bumper Breeding Season for KākāpŌ 16 Regional Roundup PUBLISHERS Published on behalf of the members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand 19 Bird News (Inc), P.O. Box 834, Nelson 7040, New Zealand. Email: [email protected] Website: www.osnz.org.nz Editor: Michael Szabo, 6/238 The Esplanade, Island Bay, Wellington 6023. COVER IMAGE Email: [email protected] Tel: (04) 383 5784 Long-tailed Cuckoo or Koekoe , Arthurs Pass, South Island. Photo ISSN 2357-1586 (Print) ISSN 2357-1594 (Online) ā by Mike Ashbee www.mikeashbeephotography.com We welcome advertising enquiries. Free classified ads for members are at the editor’s discretion. Articles or illustrations related to birds in New Zealand and the South Pacific region are welcome in electronic form, such as news about birds, members’ activities, birding sites, identification, letters, reviews, or photographs. Copy deadlines are 10th Feb, May, Aug and 1st Nov. Views expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of OSNZ (Inc) or the editor. India’s dawn chorus

Join us for a fully escorted, small-group, bird-lovers and wildlife tour in north India. 20 days, departing 14 October 2019. India’s diversity of habitat types and altitudes give it a rich bird life. It has over 1200 bird species including 70 raptors, 30 duck and geese species, and 8 stork varieties. We visit 5 magnificent National Parks: in the Himalayas, the Ganges Plains and on the Deccan Plateau. In this season we will also see masses of migratory birds from north Asia. And wildlife, including tigers, is a bonus.

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2 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 1. 2. 3.

1. Auckland RR Ian McLean and Rose Brooks welcoming the /Trina Smith. 2. Otago survey team at Sinclair Wetlands with Otago RR Mary Thompson (centre in blue coat) and President Bruce McKinlay (left of Mary)/Warren Jowett. 3. Otago members scoping the birds at Lake Ellesmere/ Mary Thompson. From the President’s Desk

Kerry-Jayne Wilson Honoured New Zealand Bird Atlas First some really good news. I’m sure that other Society members On behalf of Council, Wildlife Management International would have noticed that Kerry-Jayne Wilson of Charleston (WMIL) have continued to work on the design of the New was the recipient of a New Zealand Honour as a Member of Zealand Bird Atlas, which will be formally launched at the the New Zealand Order of Merit. National recognition for her 2019 Conference on June 1st. The project creates a strong legacy many years of work on seabird conservation is richly deserved with the Society’s previous two Atlas projects. An important by Kerry-Jayne. She has also been a stalwart of the Society as output will be the ability to compare nationwide changes in bird a researcher and supporter of local research on the West Coast distribution over 45 years. As you will have read in the latest and Canterbury. Additionally, Kerry-Jayne provided leadership edition of , the value of this was dramatically shown in Susan in the Society as a South Island Vice President for many years. Walker and Adrian Monk’s analysis of the first two Birds New Kerry-Jayne is currently providing national leadership in Zealand Atlas datasets. developing a research agenda and priority conservation for penguin species. Congratulations Kerry-Jayne: the award is It is clear that when data is collected using the right methods, it richly deserved! is now possible to undertake powerful modelling and mapping which reports far more than simple bird distribution. Mike New Logo Bell and Nikki McArthur of WMIL recently prepared a report I’m really pleased that our new logo has been launched and is to Council on work completed so far. See page 6 of this edition now starting to roll-out on publications, documents and letters of for more details. If you are wanting to get on to mapping birds the Society. Development of the new logo has been led by Helen promptly after the 2019 Conference, a half-day field trip for Taylor on behalf of Council and I think the result is a strong members who want training on the methods will be available. representation of how we want to present the Society into the future. Thanks are also due to Society member Shaun Lee who Constitutional Changes designed the logo and put a lot of care into telling the story of You will find on page 4 of this edition a Notice of Motion relating the new logo and how it supported the strategic direction of the to membership changes as discussed in my last report. These Society. changes are part of ongoing work to ensure that the Society is fit to deliver for you, the membership, over the next decade. As Website Update we work through these you can expect more rule changes in the Council has also been working to advance the Society’s new future. website, which has a fresh layout and our new branding. We had hoped that it could be launched earlier but some things have Membership Renewals taken longer than planned, so we are now looking at a launch The Society’s Membership Secretary contacted me recently to date in late March. An email will be sent to members once it is say that 240 members have yet to pay their annual subscription launched. The initial phase will also act as a ‘live test’ period, renewal. This is a very unfortunate situation for the Society allowing members to give feedback on any broken links or any to find itself in, as 240 unpaid subscriptions is a significant other aspect that doesn’t work. Hopefully any creases will have amount of the Society’s income for the year. Members in the been ironed-out by then, but a period of ‘user-testing’ will help to ‘grace’ category have until May to pay their subscription. In the alert us to any glitches that exist. meantime, Council will be considering changes to policy and, if necessary, to the Society’s rules to address this unfortunate 2019 NZ Birds Conference and 80th AGM situation. Options include shortening the ‘grace’ period; a late Online registration for the 2019 New Zealand Birds Conference fee or a discount for prompt payment. Your views on these or and 80th Annual General Meeting is now live on the Society’s other options are welcome and would help Council formulate website. I’m looking forward to catching up with you all at the something which is effective. Brentwood Hotel in Wellington on Queen’s Birthday weekend (1-3 June). Please make sure that you book early to ensure that Summer Birdwatching you can get onto your field trip of choice. In spite of the 7am start Finally, Dinah and I have just had two wonderful weeks of I think I’ll be trying for a Cook Strait pelagic; what about you? summer birdwatching in Abel Tasman National Park and driving Here’s the link for registration and full details of the conference the West Coast. The weather was good and the birdwatching a and field trips: https://www.osnz.org.nz/civicrm/event/ wonderful mix of forest and wetland habitats. It was a great start info?id=14&reset=1 to 2019, with the Society’s forthcoming New Zealand Bird Atlas project being an inspiration to once again get out and explore the myriad places where New Zealand birds are present.

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 3 2019 New Zealand Bird Notice of Motion for five Conference and 80th AGM Amendments to the Constitution of The 2019 New Zealand Bird Conference and 80th AGM will be The Ornithological Society of held in Wellington on Queen's Birthday weekend (1-3 June). All events and meals will be at the Brentwood Hotel, Kilbirnie, NZ Inc. Wellington. Online registration and full details are available at: In terms of Rule 17.1 of the Constitution, Notice of Motion is given https://www.osnz.org.nz/civicrm/event/info?id=14&reset=1 to members that the Constitution of The Ornithological Society or contact your Regional Representative: of New Zealand Inc. be amended at the Annual General Meeting https://www.osnz.org.nz/contact-us/regional-representatives of the Society to be held in Wellington in 2019. The following This 80th celebratory conference aims to continue the fine Notice of Motion is proposed to enable five recommendations to work of previous events in making this the premier New Zealand be debated and voted on at the Annual General Meeting. A full conference for the communication of new research findings on background paper has been published on the Society’s website: New Zealand birds and for providing opportunities for discussion https://www.osnz.org.nz/Governance and networking for professional ornithologists, students and others who are interested in birds and their habitats. We look New Rule 5.2.6: forward to presenting keynote lectures on a diversity of topics, 5.2.6 Honorary Member, may be awarded by Council to any including Wellington birds, the Auckland Islands, old bones member of the Society in its sole discretion on the resolution of and ancient DNA, genetics and , physiology and not less than eight Councillors in recognition of an outstanding reproduction, and seabirds. A range of shorter talks will describe and specific physical contribution made to the Society that does studies on a wide range of topics and we look forward to bringing not qualify for election as a Fellow. An Honorary Member shall together researchers and all who are interested to share their be entitled to the full rights of Ordinary Membership without knowledge and findings to make this conference a dynamic, the obligation to pay a subscription. informative and memorable event. New Rule 5.2.8: 5.2.8 Young Birders, is a membership category for young people Would you like to become linked to and supported by the Society through a Memorandum a band ‘wrapper’? of Understanding with Young Birders New Zealand. Young Birders New Zealand aims to encourage the study of birds and Coloured plastic wraparound leg bands are used on a variety of their habitat use amongst young people and to support other bird species for cohort or individual recognition. The Banding activities that are consistent with the Objects of the Society. Office has tried to source these from overseas suppliers, but Members of Young Birders New Zealand will be non-financial their high cost and poor-quality means that this is not a viable members of the Society. option. Instead, we stock sheets of coloured Darvic and Salbex plastic and cut these into strips to make the wraparound bands New Rules 8.7.1 and 8.7.2: to order, rather than pre-making stocks of bands as in the past. 8.7.1 The positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer, plus seven There is only a handful of banders in New Zealand that currently other Councillors shall be elected from the membership of the assist in making wraparound bands for various projects, so we Society following the calling for nominations by the Secretary. are seeking more band ‘wrappers’ to share the load of making 8.7.2 The position of Vice-President shall be elected by Council several thousand wraparound bands per year. Training will be from a member who has been elected as a Councillor. Election provided, and you will be contracted on an ad-hoc basis (paid per of the Vice-President shall be at the resolution of a majority of band) if you can demonstrate the required competency. The latest Councillors, excluding the nominees. BirDBanD newsletter has a description of the process: https://www.osnz.org.nz/Banding_Newsletter Amendment to rules 9.1 and 9.9: If you are interested in becoming a band “wrapper”, please 9.1 Councillors shall be persons who are financial Members contact the Banding Office: [email protected] of the Society and shall be proposed, seconded and elected by MICHELLE BRADSHAW Members by postal or electronic ballot, the result of which shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting. 9.9 The Secretary shall announce the names of the elected New members Councillors at the Annual General Meeting and move a motion Birds New Zealand warmly welcomes the following new requiring the ballot papers including, where appropriate, the members: Brooke Hartigan (Northland); Xiaozhen Huo, Lyndsey entire electronic records of ballots, to be destroyed. Smith, Spencer McIntyre, Olga Brochner, Blake Forrester, Divya Shankar, Jacques de Sagte, M. Stone (Auckland); Ohara McLennan Amendment to rule 14.15: (South Auckland); Helen McGill (Taranaki); Saran Atley, John 14.15 Each region shall elect, or appoint, a regional Treasurer and Stairmand (Hawke’s Bay); Simone Higgie (Whanganui); Neill such other regional officers, as the activities of the region require. Haggarty (Manawatu); Anna Whitehead (Wairarapa); Andrea Tuohy, Laura West, Mark Campbell Wesling, Te Huia Macgregor, Emma McWhinnie (Wellington); Marj van Gessel (Nelson); Ruben Ruwhui, Joseph Ruwhui, Samantha Ray (Marlborough); Ashley Cunninghan Celia King, Tracy Melzer (Canterbury); Adrienne Mulqueen, Ashley Cunningham, a Hawke’s Bay member of OSNZ, passed Maureen Howard, Sarah Saunderson and Rachel Hickcox (Otago). away peacefully at his home at Bay View on 15th August 2018. Ash was a forestry colleague of mine for many years (from New Donations Zealand Forest Service days), and a member of the Society for many years. I visited Ash in mid-July. Although physically very Birds New Zealand warmly thanks the following members for frail, he was quite clear in his mind and chatted about some their generous donations: Ewan Fordyce, Michael Fitzgerald, Peter historical birds and forests issues, and he mentioned that he Howden, Lance Pickett, I Williams, J Sagar, P Asquith, SD Steadman, continued to read papers in Notornis. Bethany Gibbs, Bernard Card, Philip Palmer, GD Norman, John Troost, Jillian Hanna, Jack Davidson, William Cook, F Beggs, Mary IAN ARMITAGE, VICE PRESIDENT McEwen, Matt Jones, Anthony Carey, Neil Andrews, Kevin Parker, Colin Lunt and Jan Roxburgh.

4 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 Hawke’s Bay Regional Representative Bernie Kelly introduces the course. Hawke’s Bay “Introduction to Bird Studies” Dr Helen Taylor honoured with national award Hawke’s Bay Regional Representative Bernie Kelly and I organised an “Introduction to Bird Studies” course in Napier in August and Dr Helen Taylor honoured September. Our original intention was to get enough people to with national award cover the cost of the venue but in a short time our expectations were far exceeded and we were pleasantly surprised at the University of Otago research fellow and Birds New Zealand positive response from 30 interested candidates – without having Council member Dr Helen Taylor has been awarded the 2018 spent any funds on promotion. Callaghan Medal by the Royal Society Te Aparangi for her We had sent a few posters to our local libraries (printed for us by outstanding contribution to science communication and raising DOC) and we approached a couple of local secondary schools, from public awareness of science. She was presented with her award which two potential Young Birders came along. It was especially at the Royal Society in Wellington on 18th October. Her most pleasing that over six weeks, on any given evening, the attendance recent project was an innovative and educational way to raise did not dip below 25 participants. awareness of and funds for the conservation of the vulnerable The course materials have been prepared by Sarah Jamieson Hihi or Stitchbird. She created a website called The Great Hihi for Birds New Zealand with funding from the T/Gear Trust and Sperm Race where people could place ‘bets’ on which male Hihi is sponsored by Goodness Kitchen. A Powerpoint presentation would have the fastest swimming sperm out of 128 males from is available for members to use in their local areas; slides may be four different populations that she was conducting research customised but the content and branding must remain unchanged. on. Her project raised over $11,000 for Hihi conservation, with The topics covered in the course are: bird identification; breeding; ‘bets’ placed by people in 17 countries. Eleven people from NZ, basic avian biology; migration; winter; conservation; eBird; and Australia, Britain, Netherlands and the USA backed the winning Birds New Zealand. male, and received prizes donated by sponsors. In our sessions we also covered leucism and melanism; dimorphism and polymorphism; hybrids; classification and the scientific names of birds; and the threat classification system. 2019 Membership Renewals We also expanded the migration part to include more about our Members who have not yet paid their 2019 annual subscription godwits, flyways and threats. We also started each session with a are invited to renew before 30th April 2019. This can be done bird identification quiz that we had put together ourselves. online at www.osnz.org.nz/join-society/existing-members The evaluation at the end came up with some good ideas and We depend on your subscription to continue our work indicated that our two guest speakers were very popular: Pam to encourage and support the study and enjoyment of New Turner, who is a local member and very experienced bird rescue Zealand birds. If you do not renew by 30th April, this issue expert, and Sue Taylor, a very dedicated volunteer with the kiwi will be the last one that you will be sent. If you are not sure if rescue programme ‘Kiwi Crèche’. your 2019 subscription has been paid you can log-in to check The course ended with a field trip to Ahuriri Estuary where your membership account via www.osnz.org.nz or contact our we were glad to see some Bar-tailed Godwits. We plan to run the Membership Secretary: [email protected] course again later this year but will start earlier than last year so as not to clash with any school exams. We plan to more seriously target our local secondary schools. Thanks to the local Department of Conservation office for printing our posters as part of Conservation Week, Fish and Game Hawke’s Bay for the use of their venue, our two guest speakers Pam and Sue, Keith Woodley for the use of some of his migration slides, and Sav Saville for helping us with the field trip. We had the funds to provide printouts for everyone at each session and we also handed out Birds New Zealand membership brochures NZ Dabchick and chick/Glenn Kincaid. with encouragement for participants to join. We thoroughly recommend the course and encourage other regions to consider Easter 2019 Youth Camp organising their own. LYNNE ANDERSON The Marlborough region will be hosting the 2019 Birds New Zealand Youth Camp, which will be held during Easter at Watson’s Way Back-backers in Renwick, 15th–20th April. Benefits of Membership Marlborough Regional Representative Heather Davies says the You can join Birds New Zealand today for just over a dollar a plan is for a busy week that enables young people to gain hands- week. The subscription fee of $70 per year is very reasonable; on birding skills within Marlborough’s diverse ecosystems: “We for students it’s just $35 per year (see www.osnz.org.nz for more will be visiting wetland, coastal, island and grassland habitats to details). Members receive Birds New Zealand magazine, our see the variety of birds that live in Marlborough, and build skills quarterly colour magazine, and Notornis, our acclaimed quarterly in observing, recording, drawing and examining birds, along colour scientific journal. To join us, please visit our website and fill with learning about predator control, habitat restoration, and out the online membership form: www.osnz.org.nz Or contact our species reintroduction.” Membership Secretary: [email protected] Or contact your Any young people wishing to attend should contact: nearest Regional Representative via: www.osnz.org.nz [email protected]

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 5 Marsh Crake/Matt Winter Spotless Crake/Mike Ashbee Banded Rail/Imogen Warren wildnaturenewzealand.co.nz New Zealand Bird Atlas to launch on 1st June

The New Zealand Bird Atlas is coming! all Atlas related information, including one of our smaller regions, Marlborough), This new project is a hugely exciting detailed participant instructions. As we we completely understand the struggles opportunity for Birds New Zealand expect things to be moving quickly over of large geographic regions with smaller members to contribute to a project the coming months, new content and membership, and we will be here to help. which will have lasting implications updates will be regularly posted and we A National Atlas Team has been formed, for the conservation of New Zealand’s encourage members to keep visiting these whose function will include providing birds. This project will provide the first sites to follow new developments. ongoing support to all regions once the detailed, national-scale assessment of A significant aspect of the Atlas will be scheme has been launched. the state of all of New Zealand’s birds for the use of eBird as the recording platform. This support will come in a range of over 20 years, so this will be a once-in- Although this won’t be the sole recording forms, including: 1) actively encouraging a-generation chance to be involved in a option, with other web and paper-based larger, neighbouring regions to assist with project which will help guide local and options available, it is the preferred covering adjacent areas; 2) organising and central government conservation policy option. One of the main reasons for this running Atlas ‘blitz’ weekends in which for the next 20 years. If you want to help is that it allows the most precise location other members travel to a region to do New Zealand’s birds, this is your best and habitat data to be collected, and will Atlas ‘blitzes’; and 3) engaging with other chance! allow participants to access real-time like-minded organisations to recruit Atlas The project has been moving rapidly updates on the progress of the Atlas. To participants from beyond the Birds New over the past few months as the official help members become more familiar Zealand membership (for example, we’ve launch date of 1st June fast approaches. with the eBird App, we have developed already had early and highly positive To date most of the work has been behind a range of tutorial videos which will be discussions with Forest and Bird and the the scenes. The most significant aspect has available via the website. These provide QEII National Trust on this front). So, rest been the preparation of a detailed project details on the use of the eBird App, and assured, smaller regions won’t be left to plan. This will incorporate feedback we strongly encourage members to spend struggle on alone! received from Regional Representatives, the next few months become familiar The New Zealand Bird Atlas is an Regional Recorders, and members in with its use in the build-up to the launch. ambitious and ground-breaking project response to our request in December. We In fact, you can start uploading your bird which has the potential to have a lasting, are very grateful to everyone who took observations right now, which will give positive impact on bird conservation the time to submit feedback; this input the Atlas a running start! in New Zealand for decades to come. has led to some significant improvements Late last year, the Atlas project Ultimately however, its success will and alterations to the project design and received a major financial boost when depend on members – both you and plan. The resulting plan will be delivered we successfully secured a significant I – getting behind the project and to Council in mid-March, and will be grant from the Lotteries Heritage participating. We’ve done our very the guiding document for the life of the and Environment Fund. This will be best to make use of new technologies, project. Once approved by Council it will used to fund the set-up of the project including harnessing the power of eBird, be readily available to all members. infrastructure and its maintenance mobile apps, and innovative data analysis Running alongside this, our colleagues throughout the life of the project. We techniques to make it as easy as possible at the Cornell Lab for Ornithology in the continue to chase a number of other for you to participate, and to contribute USA have been working to customise funding options, with this funding high-quality bird distribution data. We the eBird portal for the Atlas project. This targeted at promoting and managing the really hope you’ll join us in this exciting has included creating a new nationwide project during its five-year data collection new endeavour, and look forward to 10 x 10 km sampling grid to be used, and period. bumping into you ‘in the field’ sometime upgrading the technological ‘engine room’ One key piece of feedback that we soon. Roll on June 1st! which runs eBird. This work is progressing received from members and RRs included MIKE BELL and NIKKI McARTHUR on schedule, and will be ready to go live concerns that Birds New Zealand by the launch date. regions with smaller memberships will The Atlas project also now has a struggle to survey all of the grid squares new website and social media pages. in their region. This is a challenge that Please visit www.birdatlas.co.nz for the Atlas team identified very early on, associated links. The website will be and we are developing plans for solving updated regularly over the coming this challenge in a number of ways. As months and will provide a single site for members ourselves (both of us active in

6 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 Jo Carpenter with .

Birds New Zealand Research Fund summaries More results of research funded by the Birds New Zealand Research Fund in the most recent years is summarised over the following pages. Full details of all these projects are available online from the website: https://www.osnz.org.nz/2018-BNZRF- Australasian Bittern/JP Mower. Projects

Weka as seed dispersers Australasian Bittern seasonal My PhD research has found that Weka are potentially important movements in Hawke’s Bay seed dispersers because they consume over 26 species of native fruits and have a large bill that allows them to eat fruits that Funding from the last three rounds of the Birds New Zealand smaller birds cannot. Research Fund has helped collect locational data on the GPS tags were attached to 46 Weka at three South Island sites seasonal movements of ten male Australasian Bitterns (Matuku) to obtain high-resolution movements over a two-week period. I in Hawke’s Bay. They were captured on Lake Whatumā inserted tiny microchips into Hinau and Miro seeds and then fed (Waipukurau) during two breeding seasons (September– the tagged seeds to captive Weka. I scanned the birds at regular November, 2014 and 2015). Results so far have shown that male intervals to see if the microchipped seeds were still inside. These bitterns utilise a complex network of wetlands, mostly within trials showed that Weka have the longest avian seed retention a 15 km radius of their breeding site. Over 754 locational points times ever recorded, with most seeds taking over a day to have been collected. The number of fixes-per-bird varies, based pass. Using Weka movement data and seed retention times, I on how long birds survived, duration of batteries, and how easy estimated that Weka disperse 94-97% of seeds away from the the bird was to re-find once missing. Currently fixes-per-bird parent canopy. averages >74.6 points per bird. Weka dispersed Hinau seeds an average of 152 m away from Results to date show that they have high site fidelity and parent canopies, and Miro seeds an average of 131 m away predictable movement patterns driven by limited and variable from parent canopies. Around 1% of seeds were dispersed over resources. So far, individual marked birds have consistently 1 km away from the source, with some reaching 2.3 km. These returned to the same sites to breed and feed seasonally. Territory dispersal distances are greater than those calculated for Kereru, size differs seasonally. During the breeding season, average demonstrating that Weka are highly capable dispersers. The long territory sizes on Lake Whatumā were 12.46 ha, within which seed retention times of Weka mean they probably perform vital males concentrate their booming within a 0.84 ha area. Once long-distance dispersal events on occasion. This research would breeding is over, males leave the lake to roam across other not have been possible without funding from the Birds New wetlands in central Hawke’s Bay. Survival of adult males is high. Zealand Research Fund 2017. Four of the ten to date have survived beyond the battery-life of their transmitters. Two died: one from starvation, one from JO CARPENTER, UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY causes being investigated. Another went missing during duck hunting season. Three are still alive and being tracked. Hihi and habitat restoration DR EMMA M. WILLIAMS, MASSEY UNIVERSITY In April 2018, I took part in a translocation of Hihi from Tiritiri Matangi to Rotokare Scenic Reserve and Bushy Park Sanctuary. Web-based bird call analysis By tracking changes in individuals’ diets, I found evidence that translocation has an immediate effect on shifting birds’ diets. Thanks to the Birds New Zealand Research Fund 2017 we were Individuals that remained on Tiritiri Matangi became more able to review and optimise a website where volunteer ‘citizen specialist in their diets; those that moved to the mainland became scientists’ could identify bird calls. The website, hosted by more generalist, matching the diets of resident birds. While Zooniverse, has undergone user review by 46 citizen scientists specialisation may be a mechanism for avoiding competition in who reported the presence/absence of bird calls in 698 sections the dense Tiritiri population, birds at the less populated mainland of audio. We have optimised the website based on the feedback sites may be able to converge on a shared set of preferred foods. provided. We also evaluated the ability of citizen scientists This highlights how important it is to consider the environment to classify the presence/absence of bird calls in audio. Their birds are entering when trying to predict how they will behave classifications overlapped in 94% with classifications provided after translocation. by professional biologists. This level of agreement highlights that Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of meeting and citizen scientists are well-suited to classify the presence/absence working alongside a number of OSNZ members. I am grateful of bird calls. Further work is still required to evaluate whether for their support and for funding from the Birds New Zealand citizen scientists can be as accurate as professionals at identifying Research Fund 2017, which made this fieldwork possible. species-specific bird calls. CAITLIN ANDREWS, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE VICTOR ANTON, JACOB WOODS & MARKUS LUCZAK-ROESCH

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 7 Tawaki /Thomas Mattern. Hoiho with satellite tag. Photo by Mel Young.

Tawaki foraging and breeding Hōiho go solo with solar ecology Mortality is higher for juvenile seabirds than adults because they lack foraging and predator avoidance experience, which In September–October 2018, we studied the foraging behaviour must be learned, but size, body fat, and overlapping industrial and breeding ecology of Tawaki at three sites simultaneously: activities can negatively influence survival. Little is known Jackson Head/West Coast, Harrison Cove (Milford Sound/ about what shapes HŌiho dispersal from the natal area. Less than Piopiotahi), and Codfish Island/Whenua Hou. It was encouraging c.19% of each cohort survive their first year, and less than c.12% to observe that the Tawaki colony at Jackson Head showed survive to breed at least once, compared to c. 26% recorded from signs of improvements after three less than average breeding 1936 to 1952. My aims were to determine the initial dispersal seasons. Favourable foraging conditions meant that chick-rearing and survival of juvenile HŌiho after fledging, and their spatial penguins did not travel as far as in the previous years and distribution in relation to industrial activities at sea. I also generally stayed within 40 km of their breeding colony. Most wanted to determine the performance of low-cost solar satellite pairs managed to raise at least one chick to the crèching stage. tags in New Zealand waters, which may be fit-for-purpose for This contrasted with average breeding seasons in Fiordland other seabird tracking studies. and on Whenua Hou. Several nests that had been active in the Three HŌiho fledglings from Otago Peninsula and the Catlins previous seasons remained empty, resulting in a somewhat were deployed with Seatag-tt satellite tags in February 2018. All lower nest count at both locations. In Milford Sound, foraging dispersed north from their natal areas and travelled as far as behaviour indicated that the usually extremely favourable Canterbury Bight, with two chicks spending most time between foraging conditions were compromised. Unlike in the previous Kātiki Point and the Waitaki River mouth on the Otago coast. seasons, when penguins found enough food for two chicks Once they fledged, transmissions were received from nine to 44 within a 3-4 km radius from their colony, several birds left the days, with the tags transmitting location data to Argos satellites fjord to forage in the open ocean. And unlike in previous years, almost every day, even in poor weather. Overall the Seatag-tt had no pair managed to raise both chicks. On Whenua Hou, foraging a mean location accuracy of 52%. I conclude that it is a reasonably ranges were comparable to the previous years with some birds efficient satellite tag, and being cheaper, hydrodynamic, re- foraging very close inshore and others travelling up to 30 km deployable, and lighter than all other commercial tags currently away. However, none of the 40 monitored nests managed to raise available for seabirds, would be suitable for future penguin both chicks to the crèching stage. foraging studies. Thanks to the Birds New Zealand Research We also recovered 33 GLS loggers fitted the previous year. Fund 2017 for funding this research. Using light-data recorded by these devices, we will now be able MELANIE J. YOUNG, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO to reconstruct the penguins’ at-sea movements throughout their pre-moult and winter dispersal periods. In the coming months we will tackle the comprehensive analysis of 5-years of Tawaki Post-fledging dispersal tracking data. Most of these data would not have been possible to collect without the invaluable support of the Birds New Zealand of mainland Hōiho Research Fund. Very little is known about the parameters that shape HŌiho THOMAS MATTERN, TAWAKI PROJECT/UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO dispersal away from the natal area. Most sightings occur on the Canterbury Coast but juvenile HŌiho have been re-sighted as far Acoustic monitoring of bird calls north as Hawke’s Bay. My aims for this study were to determine the initial dispersal and survival of juvenile HŌiho after fledging, Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) records natural soundscapes and their spatial distribution in relation to industrial activities using automated field recording devices and diverse sound at sea. I also aim to determine the performance of low-cost solar analysis. Acoustic indices that extract information from sound satellite tags in New Zealand waters, which could be fit-for- recordings makes PAM a good candidate for biodiversity purpose for other seabird tracking studies. My research to date monitoring. We sampled the soundscape at a fenced site with has focused on tracking juvenile mainland HŌiho from their pest management and a site without. Acoustic indices were natal areas in 2017 and 2018, which has provided critical baseline calculated over the sound recordings. The indices’ measurements data for conservation management of this species. were then divided into 20 panels defined by specific time and With a generous contribution from the Birds New Zealand frequency ranges. There were significant differences between Research Fund 2018, I have purchased six new generation the two sites, reflecting differences in environmental condition. Seatag-tt satellite tags to deploy on fledgling ŌH iho, and will These allowed us to identify the acoustic region where the use the Argos satellite system to track post-fledging dispersal soundscape differs most between sites: within the period 9 pm from coastal nesting sites in Otago and Southland in 2019. The to 11:59 pm and different frequency ranges. It is possible the advantages of using a solar-powered satellite tag include reduced significant differences found are related to mammal activity. unit mass and infinite reporting of the tag’s position, making The next step will be to identify the sounds generating these these devices reusable without refurbishment if they can be differences and try to understand their ecological meaning. retrieved. Six chicks will be selected for the final satellite tag IVAN BRAGA CAMPOS, UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND deployment in February 2019. MELANIE J. YOUNG, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

8 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 Eastern Rockhopper Penguin/Tony Whitehead. Kakī photo by Liz Brown.

Population genomics of Evolutionary history of New Zealand crested penguins Australasian stilts This project evaluated genetic diversity within the three New Kakï (Black Stilt) is a critically endangered wading species that Zealand endemic crested penguin species, compared genetic is endemic to New Zealand. Numbers declined to a low of c.23 diversity between New Zealand and other Southern Ocean birds in 1981 following human impacts. Through intensive crested penguins, and explored the potential of New Zealand management by the Department of Conservation’s Kakï crested penguins to adapt to a warming climate. We obtained Recovery Team, the wild population has increased to 132 adults. samples from >250 crested penguins spanning almost all species. When Kakï numbers have been very low, they have interbred We were unable to obtain genomic data for the Erect-crested with Poaka, the New Zealand population of Pied Stilts. Poaka Penguin as the samples had degraded since they were collected. self-introduced from Australia and are now widespread across Genetic diversity within Fiordland Crested and within New Zealand. Hybridisation results in fertile hybrids with Snares Crested penguins is low, which suggests both species intermediate plumage, but hybrid offspring exhibit lower fitness represent single panmictic units in which all individuals are than pure individuals. With the support of the Birds New potential partners. This reflects the ability of these species Zealand Research Fund 2017, I have produced the first whole to swim vast distances and the lack of barriers to gene flow mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) for a number of Kakï, within the Southern Ocean – and is a positive finding in light of Australian and New Zealand Pied Stilts, and hybrids. Combined conservation concerns as no localities sampled are genetically with published mitogenomes for other species, these data will isolated. Within Snares Crested Penguins, we found no evidence add to our understanding of the evolutionary history of the stilt to suggest a second taxon inhabits the Western Chain. The complex and improve knowledge of the origins of New Zealand’s Eastern Rockhopper Penguin also appears to be largely panmictic avifauna. throughout the Southern Ocean, with possible historical isolation Phylogenetic analyses confirm the split between Pied Stilts within New Zealand – possibly reflecting glaciation histories and Kakï. Preliminary dating of the divergence time between during the Last Glacial Maximum. We are now using this taxon Poaka and Kakï shows a recent common ancestor that may have to study adaptation to climate change, but have not yet finished lived as recently as 500,000 years ago. Hybrid individuals group the final analyses. This project is part of my PhD research. most closely with Pied Stilts, which suggests that hybridisation Funding from the Birds New Zealand Research Fund 2017 is mostly driven by male Kakï mating with female Poaka, with enabled me to include Fiordland and Snares Crested Penguins in hybrids inheriting the maternal mitogenome. I am currently the genomic study. expanding the study by incorporating 28 historic stilt samples TESS COLE, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO collected from Canterbury, Auckland, and Te Papa museums to narrow down the divergence time estimates. Conservation of Whenua Hou NATALIE FORSDICK, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO Diving Petrel Does genetic rescue improve My PhD project was aimed at preventing the recently-described inbred South Island Robins? Nationally Critical Whenua Hou Diving Petrel (WHDP) from sliding closer to extinction. It aimed to investigate their In 2017 and 2018, I collected audio recordings of the dawn chorus population size and sex ratio, breeding biology, and the effect from male South Island Robins on islands in Queen Charlotte of WHDP presence on small reptiles. Between September 2017 Sound. Both islands were subject to genetic rescue in 2008, and and January 2018, I caught 192 adult WHDPs. I used this dataset my goal was to determine if song structure was linked to a bird’s to analyse their population size with models which resulted in cognitive capability, and in turn, to the level of genetic variation. a population estimate of 222 adult birds. I also collected feather I obtained audio recordings for 46 male robins from which samples of all birds captured this season. These were used to I extracted information on repertoire size, syllable diversity genetically determine the sex of the birds. Results show a slight and levels of song complexity. The second part of my project male-skewed adult (46% F : 54% M) and offspring sex ratio (45% involved two experiments that measured a set of cognitive F : 55% M). During the 2017/18 breeding season, I also created processes including attentional control, inhibitory control, and the first detailed breeding schedule for WHDP. While I aimed memory, and was able to test the problem-solving ability of 32 to use nest boxes, these were rejected by 80% of birds early in robins. the season (thus not resulting in nest failure). This prevented Whether a robin’s level of genetic variation dictates its ability me from collecting growth curve data. However, I used a to sing a more elaborate dawn chorus or solve the food cache burrowscope instead to assess WHDP breeding phenology in experiment more quickly is the next step in my project. DNA detail. All results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific samples collected from each bird have been sent for lab analysis. journals and presented at conferences. I would like to thank The first of these show a wide range of levels of genetic variation the Birds New Zealand Research Fund 2017 for contributing among the birds I studied. How these relate to the results of my significantly to my research project costs. cognitive tests will become clear once the final DNA analyses are JOHANNES FISCHER, VICTORIA UNIV OF WELLINGTON completed in late 2018. ARCHIE MACFARLANE, UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 9 Adult male Chatham Island Snipe, Rangatira Island.

Rangatira Island in the Chatham Islands.

Chatham Island Snipe – our littlest snipe Article and Photographs by Colin Miskelly

The first Chatham Island Snipe known to science was collected Recovery from near extinction by the Stewart Island-based naturalist Charles Traill in 1868. Snipe became extinct on Mangere Island within three decades Traill followed his passion for seashell collecting all the way to of Traill’s discovery, and were apparently confined to Rangatira rugged and remote Mangere Island, off the west coast of Pitt Island for the following 70 years or so. They very nearly Island in the Chatham Islands. Back then, Mangere Island was yet vanished entirely. Naturalists Logan Bell and Elliot Dawson to be cleared for farming, and the feral cats that extirpated most visited Rangatira on separate occasions during the 1950s (when of the birdlife were yet to be introduced. it was still farmed) with both failing to record snipe. Just how Traill forwarded the two snipe specimens that he collected to close the snipe came to extinction was revealed by a genetic Dr James Hector at the recently opened Colonial Museum study published in 2010, which indicated that Chatham Island (Te Papa’s founding institution, opened in late 1865). Hector in snipe had the least genetic diversity of any bird in the world. This turn forwarded one of these snipes to the leading New Zealand information has been overlooked by conservation managers and ornithologist of the time, Walter Buller. Buller realised that researchers, who focus way more effort on the ‘genetic peril’ of the bird was much smaller than the only form of New Zealand the Black Robins of Rangatira than the snipe living alongside Snipe then known, which had been found on the subantarctic them. Auckland Islands in 1840. It is the second smallest snipe species The last of the farmstock were removed from Rangatira in the world (and the smallest in the southern hemisphere) and in 1961, and snipe soon recovered in numbers as the dense so Buller named it pusilla, with pusilla meaning ‘little’. vegetation that they depend on recovered from grazing by sheep [It was subsequently moved to the endemic genus Coenocorypha and cattle. By 1970 there were enough of them for the Wildlife – meaning ‘mud on top of the head’, referring to the way these Service [a predecessor to the Department of Conservation] to birds feed.] move 23 to Mangere Island, which they were in the process of

10 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 Juvenile Chatham Island Snipe. The plumage has more grey tones than that of adults, and the bill base is smooth and purplish-grey.

Chatham Island Snipe eggs in nest. Chatham Island Snipe chick. Chatham Island Snipe adult on nest.

restoring. These thrived on Mangere, and from there colonised or nesting under the endemic sedge Carex chathamica or under nearby Little Mangere Island and Rabbit Island. introduced blackberry or Yorkshire fog grass. But in 2018, the Snipe do not fly often, but are quite capable when they choose six nests found were a better fit with Hawkins’ and Fleming’s to. They are occasionally seen on the east coast of Pitt Island, a descriptions. As the forest canopy has continued to recover, the minimum two-kilometre flight from Rangatira (but they do not sedge has been shaded out, and the snipe living in the forest survive long in the presence of introduced cats and Weka). Snipe interior are again nesting in more open sites, making it easier to were first recorded on the Star Keys (18 kilometres north-east view details of their breeding behaviour. of Rangatira) in 1974. It is not known whether this was a recent colonisation, or whether this was a natural remnant population Devoted parents (they were not recorded during an earlier Wildlife Service Most of the information known about Coenocorypha snipe survey). breeding ecology is based on six breeding seasons of data that By the time I first encountered Chatham Island Snipe on I collected on the Snares Islands Snipe between 1982 and 1987. Rangatira in 1983, they were abundant though somewhat Apart from a shorter incubation length (18-19 days), Chatham secretive dwellers of the forest remnants and surrounding Island Snipe have a very similar breeding system to their larger Muehlenbeckia vinelands. I estimated about 10 birds per hectare cousins. in Woolshed Bush, and a total population of about 1,500 birds Male snipe courtship-feed their mate during the three weeks on the island. Snipe numbers have remained similar each time I that it takes her to form the two very large eggs (each about have visited the island through to March 2018. 21% of her bodyweight). Nests are at ground level, usually in sites that provide some overhead protection from crash-landing Hiding in holes in hollow trees seabirds. Incubation is shared equally by the sexes, and their urge In the early 1890s, William Hawkins remarked that on Mangere to incubate becomes very strong as the eggs begin to hatch. The Island “During the day [the snipe] hides in hollow trees”, and male of one pair that I observed during hatching was so reluctant in 1938 Charles Fleming was told that snipe nested beneath to leave the nest when the female returned that they ended up buttress roots of trees. These descriptions contradicted my own sitting side-by-side, with the male brooding the first chick that experiences in 1983-84, when I invariably found snipe roosting had hatched, and the female incubating the remaining egg.

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 11 A pair of Chatham Island snipe competing to look after their nest. Chatham Island Snipe adult presenting a food item to its snippet.

Snipe sitting tight – "the perfect camouflage is only betrayed by its black shining eye.” David Cemmick, 1985. A snippet on its parent’s flank, ready to be fed.

Cute little fluff balls Very young chicks are brooded by their parents, who pause Each adult cares for one of the chicks separately and occasionally during foraging to fluff out their breast feathers and independently, with the male caring for the first chick to leave allow the chick to climb under for a thermal recharge. When the nest. Throughout the breeding season, most snipe are foraging recommences, the pair are inseparable, as if attached encountered as parent and chick pairs, until the young become by a rubber band. The chick stumbles along behind the parent, independent soon after they lose the last of their down. Chicks which utters soft chirrups of encouragement if they become have enormous legs and feet on hatching, and leave the nest separated by more than half a metre. within 12 hours of emerging from the egg. Snipe feed by probing in the soil, and are very rapid and The parents provide all the food for the chicks for the first vigorous, with the bill thrusting down and back like a sewing two weeks, until the chicks’ bills grow long enough for effective machine needle. Chicks need to be alert to a feeding opportunity, probing. Even then, parents continue to provide the bulk of the as adults do not carry food to the chick, or even turn the head food taken by the chick through to independence, with the adults to present a food item. The chick needs to be at its parent’s side, losing up to seven percent of their bodyweight while providing and wait for the cue of the parent ceasing probing. The food item food for their chick. (usually an insect larva, worm or hopper) is held in the bill tip

12 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 A snippet following its parent.

Chatham Snipe adult broods its chick. Colin Miskelly taking a blood sample. Photo by Alan Tennyson.

a centimetre or two above where it was extracted. If the chick surviving chick. But by the start of the next breeding season the takes more than a couple of seconds to grab the item, the parent original pair would be back together, regardless of whether their will swallow it itself and resume probing. extramarital fling had produced chicks or not.

Solo parenting together With many thanks to the Department of Conservation (DOC) for I have never seen two snipe adults caring for the same chick, and the opportunity to assist with Chatham threatened bird recovery have only once seen two chicks following the same adult. Three- programmes and to visit Rangatira Island Nature Reserve. egg nests have occasionally been recorded for both Chatham Island Snipe and Snares Island Snipe, and so I presume that these Colin Miskelly is Curator - Vertebrates at the Museum of New explain the rare instances of two chicks being seen with a single Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and a Birds New Zealand Council adult. member. He first visited Rangatira Island Nature Reserve in the With the more intensively studied Snares Island Snipe, some Chatham Islands as an undergraduate student studying snipe in adults that lost a chick (or if only one egg hatched) attempted to 1983. He returned to the island in March 2018 as a volunteer for breed with a new mate while their original mate cared for the DOC, and was delighted to renew acquaintance with one of his favourite birds.

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 13 This white Tui was photographed at Taputeranga Marae in Island Bay, Wellington, on 26th December by Natalie Gardner.

Global pattern of shorebird nest predation is disrupted by climate change Shorebird nest predation has increased globally over the past 70 years and is consistent with climate-induced shifts in predator- prey relationships, says a new study published in Science in November 2018. The study notes that many biological patterns have a latitudinal component. “One long-recognized pattern is that predation rates are higher at lower latitudes. This may explain why many migratory birds travel thousands of miles from the tropics to the poles to breed.” This Oriental Cuckoo found near Upper Hutt (1/12) was taken Looking at thousands of records, the study found that climate into care. After recovering, it was released near Whanganui (10th change seems to have altered this fundamental pattern: “In January - see page 17). shorebirds, at least, predation rates on nests are now higher in the Arctic than in the tropics. ... Ongoing climate change is thought to Oriental Cuckoo photo by Paul Gibson. disrupt trophic relationships, with consequences for complex interspecific interactions, yet the effects of climate change on species interactions are poorly understood, and such effects have not been documented at a global scale. Using a single database of 38,191 nests from 237 populations, we found that shorebirds have experienced a worldwide increase in nest predation over the past 70 years. Historically, there existed a latitudinal gradient in nest predation, with the highest rates in the tropics; however, this pattern has been recently reversed in the Northern Hemisphere, most notably in the Arctic. This increased nest predation is consistent with climate-induced shifts in predator-prey relationships.” Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate change in Burrow camera footage of a Barn Owl pulling a Wedge-tailed Shear- shorebirds, V. Kubelka, M. Šálek, P. Tomkovich, Z. Végvári, R.P. water chick out of its burrow on Lehua Islet and killing it. Courtesy of Freckleton, T. Székely (Charles Univ Prague; Univ of Bath; Czech A. Raine, Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project. Univ of Life Sciences Prague; Moscow MV Lomonosov State Univ; Univ of Debrecen; Hortobágy National Park Impact of introduced Barn Owls Directorate; Univ of Sheffield; Sun Yat-sen Univ; Beijing Normal Univ). Science 09 Nov 2018: Vol. 362, Issue 6415. on Hawai’ian seabirds The Barn Owl was introduced to the Hawai’ian Islands in the Eyles’ Harrier & Haast’s Eagle study late 1950s as a biological control for introduced rats and has since become common throughout the main Hawai’ian Islands. We A new genetic study has found that New Zealand’s extinct giant address the impact on Hawaiian seabirds by summarising the Eyles’ Harrier was most closely related to the Spotted Harrier of number of seabird depredations recorded in the database of the Australia rather than the Swamp Harrier, as previously thought, Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project. Data were collected and confirms the relationship between New Zealand’s giant on Kaua‘i and the neighbouring islets of Lehua and Moku‘ae‘ae Haast’s Eagle and the Little Eagle of Australia. The study puts between January 2011 and October 2018 as part of ongoing the divergence of Eyles’ Harrier from Spotted Harrier at 2.37 seabird survey work. 379 Barn Owl depredations were recorded million-years-ago, and Haast’s Eagle from Little Eagle at 2.22 of eight seabird species, the most common of which were Wedge- million-years-ago, and concludes that early Pleistocene climate tailed Shearwater, Black Noddy, and Bulwer's Petrel. Included and environmental changes were likely to have triggered the were 21 depredations on Newell's Shearwater and Hawaiian establishment of Australian raptors in New Zealand. Although Petrel, species listed on the federal Endangered Species Act. Most Eyles’ Harrier was much lighter than Haast’s Eagle, it was still the Barn Owl depredations were on adult seabirds. The effectiveness largest known harrier species in the world. Haast’s Eagle was the of Barn Owl control was also evident, with their depredations largest known eagle species in the world. on Lehua Islet decreasing significantly after dedicated control Mitogenomic evidence of close relationships between New operations were initiated. Barn Owl control should be considered Zealand’s extinct giant raptors and small-sized Australian sister- as an integral part of all Hawai’ian seabird management programs. taxa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 10 February 2019 Raine, A.F., Vynne, M. & Driskill, S. 2019. The impact of an (online). M. Knapp, J.E. Thomas, J. Haile, S. Prost de Simon, Y.W. introduced avian predator, the Barn Owl, on Hawaiian seabirds. Ho, N. Dussex, S. Cameron-Christie, E. Thomas, O Kardailsky, R. Marine Ornithology 47: 33-38. [Kaua'i Endangered Seabird Barnett, M. Bunce, M. Thomas, P. Gilbert and R.P. Scofield. [Univ Recovery Project (KESRP), Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU), of Otago; Bangor Univ UK; Natural History Museum Denmark; University of Hawai'i and Division of Forestry and Wildlife, State Univ of Copenhagen; Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawai'i, Vienna; Univ of California; Univ of Sydney; Swedish Museum USA]. of Natural History; Curtin Univ Australia; Norwegian Univ of Science and Technology; and Canterbury Museum]. 14 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 Wareham’s Penguin (Eudyptes warehami)/Sean Murtha Kakapo with egg, Anchor Island. Photo by Brodie Philp/DOC

Extinct Chatham Islands crested Bumper breeding season for Kākāpō penguin species KākāpŌ are having a bumper breeding season with 41 chicks produced so far during the current 2018-2019 season from a total Two previously unknown Chatham Islands penguins have of 203 eggs laid, with more eggs being laid after some female been identified in a new genetic study of penguin evolution. KākāpŌ mated a second time. This is the most KākāpŌ eggs laid An international team of researchers led by Tess Cole, a PhD during a single breeding season in the 28-year history of the candidate at the University of Otago, studied prehistoric penguin Department of Conservation KākāpŌ Recovery Programme. bones from the southern hemisphere and found that many The first chick hatched on 30th January but it will be six penguin species arose shortly after the geological formation of months before the new chicks can be counted as part of the total islands, such as the Chatham and Antipodes Islands. adult KākāpŌ population, which currently stands at 147. They found that a unique crested penguin lived on the With birds starting to breed so early this season, DOC has Chatham Islands until several centuries ago, which they name started using a new strategy to encourage ‘double clutching’ - Wareham’s Penguin (Eudyptes warhami). Based on a genetic meaning the birds could nest twice in one season. This involves comparison, this species diverged from its closest relative, the bringing in fertile eggs for incubation in captivity and hand- Erect-crested Penguin of the Antipodes Islands, between 1.1 and rearing the chick to encourage females to nest a second time. 2.5 million-years-ago (Mya). This corresponds to the emergence Department of Conservation KākāpŌ Operations Manager of the Chatham Islands from the sea circa 3 Mya. The species is Deidre Vercoe told RNZ, “Unfortunately, fertility has been named after John Wareham, a pioneering penguin researcher particularly poor this year, potentially due to the number of who was elected a Fellow of the Ornithological Society of New young males breeding for the first time. Less than half of these Zealand in 1998 and awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for eggs will hatch into a KākāpŌ chick, and not every hatched services to ornithology in the New Zealand Honours List, 2001. chick will make it to adulthood. However, we’re still hoping for The researchers also found a new dwarf subspecies of Yellow- anywhere between 30 to 50 chicks. With a population of 147 eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes richdalei) which had bones adults, this will be a huge boost for this Taonga.” that were 10–20% smaller than the Yellow-eyed Penguin, closer The Department of Conservation’s KākāpŌ Recovery in size to a Rockhopper Penguin according to co-author Dr Kieren Programme, working closely with Ngāi Tahu, is also working on Mitchell of the University of Adelaide. innovative approaches to improve the birds’ breeding success. An Most extinct penguin species died out long before humans ‘assisted breeding’ programme involves semen collection, sperm evolved, but they found that Wareham’s Penguin probably analysis and artificial insemination. New ‘Smart Eggs’ are also became extinct shortly after humans arrived at the Chatham being used. These are 3-D printed eggs that mimic the sounds Islands in the 1400s and was probably hunted to extinction by of a real KākāpŌ egg just prior to the chick hatching out, which the 1600s. helps KākāpŌ mothers better prepare for the arrival of a chick, The researchers extracted DNA from subfossil bones found in thereby improving the care that a chick gets in its critical first sand dunes on the Chatham Islands. The study combined skeletal days. An international team of experts have joined the recovery morphology with DNA evidence to understand how Wareham’s programme team this season, with the aim of ensuring that rare Penguin evolved. Skeletal features provided the first clue – the KākāpŌ genes are better represented within the population. existence of a lost species was hinted at by earlier comparisons Multiple matings, whether by assisted breeding or naturally, also of penguin bones collected from sand dunes on the Chatham increase the likelihood that a female KākāpŌ will lay fertile eggs. Islands. In 1996, Alan Tennyson (a study co-author) and Phillip In early February the DOC team also used a small drone for Millener examined penguin bones from these islands, and the first time to flyā K kāpŌ semen across Whenua Hou Island so found that they did not match those of any living species. DNA that it could be used to artificially inseminate a āK kāpŌ named evidence has now confirmed those suspicions. Esperance. The drone’s 9-minute flight across the island was Mitogenomes uncover extinct penguin taxa and reveal island much faster than the 90-minute walk would have taken. formation as a key driver of speciation. T. L. Cole (University of With a boost to the KākāpŌ population now expected, DOC Otago); D.T. Ksepka; K. J. Mitchell (University of Adelaide); A. J. needs to find space for so many new arrivals. "We have to find D Tennyson (Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand); D. B. new homes that are predator-free, as KākāpŌ have real trouble Thomas; H. Pan; G. Zhang; N. J. Rawlence (University of Otago); surviving in locations with introduced predators," Deidre Vercoe J. R. Wood (Landcare Research); P. Bover; J. L. Bouzat; A. Cooper told RNZ. She said the mainland would be an option in future if (University of Adelaide); S. R. Fiddaman; T. Hart; G. Miller; P. the KākāpŌ population continued to rise. G. Ryan; L. D. Shepherd (Te Papa); J. M. Wilmshurst; and J. M. Waters. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 05 February 2019.

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 15 FAR NORTH NZ Tomtit, 4 Kaka and 2 Bellbird, plus another Lee proved popular. The second was World As I write, there are still nesting Australasian Bellbird seen and heard in trees around Wetlands Day at Matuku Link near Bethells Gannets at Nine Pin and Buller’s Shearwater Ocean’s Beach car park. Beach on 2/2 where a Matuku or Australasian at the Poor Knights Islands, but other species Scott Brooks reports that the highlights Bittern was seen. Lastly, our annual Summer are starting to flock-up. Waitangi Day is over from the 2 most recent pelagic trips from Picnic at Waiatarua Reserve in Remuera on and the space outside the marae is available Tutukaka out past the Poor Knights Islands on 22/1 attracted 15 participants. A total of 27 for NZ Dotterels and the visiting South Island 9/1 and 2/2 included sightings of Grey Ternlet, species were recorded including a juvenile Pied Oystercatchers. Reports so far indicate an NZ Storm Petrel, Pycroft’s Petrel, Cook’s NZ Dabchick and a Brown Teal. At least 2 increase in the numbers of NZ Dotterel thanks Petrel, Grey-faced Petrel, Little Shearwater, Spotless Crakes were heard, which is great for to the excellent conservation work being Antipodean Albatross (gibsoni) and large a wetland located so close to Auckland’s CBD. down out at Rawhiti. flocks of Buller’s Shearwater. The January trip – IAN McLEAN Pelagic birding trips from Tutukaka and the was notable for the first White-chinned Petrel Bay of Islands produced the ‘usual suspects’, recorded on these trips. The February trip also SOUTH AUCKLAND including rafts of Buller’s Shearwater, recorded 2 Black-winged Petrels. After a busy wet Spring we eased back into Fluttering Shearwater and Common Diving – ANNE McCRACKEN a hot summer without any major projects Petrel. One rarity was Black-winged Petrel, on the go, but at our February meeting there seen on 2 trips. Shorebird surveys included AUCKLAND was a chance to catch-up. Ted Kitching has visits to Kowhai Beach, Walker Island, and The NZ Fairy Terns breeding within our been spending time on the Awhitu Peninsula Parengarenga. Kowhai Beach and Rangaunu region started out well, with 3 of the 5 lately looking at sea and shore birds. Variable Harbour numbers were up. Parengarenga potential pairs at Mangawhai breeding Oystercatchers and especially NZ Dotterels numbers were up on last year, but that is not earlier than ever before (9/10, 11/10, 14/10). have a poor breeding season with nests a good measure because of access issues that The previous earliest eggs were laid on washed out by Spring tides. Southern Black- were not a problem this year. As usual, we 21/11/10. Unfortunately, no chicks fledged backed Gulls have done well, however, with stopped at Unahi Road to see the residual from the Mangawhai site this last season. about 30% more chicks fledging than last year Royal Spoonbill flock. The surprise was One egg that was transferred to a solo pair and big numbers now appearing on roosts. a Cattle Egret flock that stayed well into at the Waipu estuary further north resulted The White-fronted Terns have been feeding January. There were reports of a flock of 19- in a fledgling. On the Mangawhai Summer at sea, roosting on the beach at Pokorua Gap at 22 Cattle Egrets in Piako, south of Miranda, Census Day (10/11), observers photographed low tide and also commuting overland to fish in breeding plumage, and other scattered 2 dismembered Northern NZ Dotterels and the Manukau. reports. They are usually gone by November. numerous Cat footprints, so it could be that Tony Habraken has also been watching One wonders who will be the first to report predation was the major problem at that White-fronted Terns on the Firth of Thames nesting Cattle Egret in New Zealand. It seems site this season as there were no adverse and notes birds sitting on eggs on the inevitable. weather events. The only other NZ Fairy foreshore at Tararu now. With the first fledged CJ Ralph has been conducting Bay of Tern chick to survive this season fledged from juveniles noted on census in November it Islands 5-minute bird count surveys since the single pair at the Pakiri River Mouth, has been a very long breeding season. He 2009, and other surveys including gull and making national productivity for NZ Fairy also noted a Common Tern at Tararu in early gannet counts in the Bay for over 30 years. He Tern akin to that of the 2002/2003 breeding January. At Kidd’s Shellbank, David Lawrie conducted the surveys again this year with season, which was the last time that only 2 recorded 5,000 Red Knot, 4,000 Bar-tailed the help of local members and supporters, chicks fledged in a season. Unfortunately, , 43 Pacific Golden Plover, 9 Asiatic and were happy to report that almost all both females from the 2 breeding pairs at the Whimbrel, 2 Eastern , 2 Greater Sand the survey routes were once again covered. Papakanui site on the west coast either died Plover, 1 Grey Plover and 1 Great Knot on 26/1. A Conservation Day event in Paihia in or disappeared, so there was no productivity The latter 3 species were seen again on 31/1 December saw about 50 conservation groups there. and 9/2. Wrybill began arriving in January and bird enthusiasts gather to display their A regional first was the success of the with over 300 and 20+ Banded Dotterels on wares and talk about their projects. The effect Black-billed Gull colony on the Radio Masts 9/2. The highpoint of the season at Miranda of these ‘flax roots’ conservation efforts can Site on Watercare land at Mangere, with 160 has been a Broad-billed , not always be seen and heard throughout the Far North chicks counted on 29/12 by Tony Habraken easy to find, and a Glossy Ibis has remained where there is an obvious groundswell of along with just over 200 adults. A White- over summer along with up to 4 Cattle Egrets interest that is having an effect on our bird winged Black Tern and 2 Sanderlings were in breeding plumage. We also discussed life. – LES FEASEY seen at Papakanui Spit by John N on 29/12 Shining Cuckoos, with most hearing birds in and there was a Black-tailed Godwit there the last week but they often seem to call for NORTHLAND on 21/1. Despite being a very busy urban periods of a few days with silence between, Hilton Ward reports that 13 Grey-faced park, Western Springs is a great place for city maybe suggesting birds moving through. Petrel chicks are thought to have fledged birdwatching, with a pair of NZ Dabchick David Walter reported a flock of 8-10 at from the Taurawhata colony on the coast with 3 chicks being seen there by multiple Wairamarama. – IAN SOUTHEY near Matapouri. According to the monitoring observers during December and January. The cameras there, 1 chick was fed 23 meals over family of dabchicks proved to be very popular WAIKATO 88 days and another had 50 meals over 93 with photographers and are likely the first Our November meeting included a discussion days. This latter chick was recorded departing pair to successfully breed there for more than led by John Innes and Neil Fitzgerald on on 1/1. The other monitored chick fell off the 10 years. Several juvenile Little Black Shags the Hamilton ‘halo’ project. It has been so pad at the burrow entrance on 23/12 and was were present at the Western Springs colony successful with Tui that it is hoped other not seen on camera again. Hilton also reports 3 on 2/2 (seen by Noel Ward and Gwenda native birds can be introduced to the urban Spotless Crake chicks were caught on camera Pulham) as well as nestlings and a copulating and rural areas in and around Hamilton. The with 2 adult birds at his wetland in Ngunguru. pair. Spring census coastal harbours produced Late last year several members assisted Our Muriwai Beach Patrol on 15/12 found no real surprises, except 4 Sharp-tailed Dai Morgan with the Whangarei urban birds 20 birds of 11 species, with the more unusual at Aotea Harbour. A Reef Heron survey. The count data shows that the overall birds being singleton Black-browed Albatross, was found at Whangamata Harbour and the average numbers for the 5 most abundant White-chinned Petrel, Grey Petrel and number of nesting Red-billed Gulls was well species was 6.84 House Sparrow, 2.16 Mottled Petrel. Our patrol on 9/2 found fewer down on the previous year. Silvereye, 2.06 Blackbird, 1.11 Common Myna birds with a total of 7 including singleton Our region lost two members in November: and 1.03 Tui. Dai reports that he has further Caspian Tern, Australasian Gannet, Fairy Daphne Taylor and Chris Smuts-Kennedy. analyses to complete on these data involving Prion and Sooty Shearwater, and 3 Fluttering Chris was instrumental in developing the looking at how bird richness and abundance Shearwaters. The Auckland region took part Maungatautari restoration plan. He also change over the urban/forest gradient. The in 2 public events with our displays over the worked with many threatened species Bream Head 5M bird count survey on the Te summer. The first was the Seabird Seminar especially the Kakapo, with which he had a Whara-Peach Cove lines on 19/1 produced 3 at the Maritime Museum on 1-2/12, where life-long affiliation. Whitehead (incl 1 juv), 3 North Island Robin, 8 our NZ Fairy Tern 3D models made by Shaun The Coromandel NZ Dotterels again have

16 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 struggled, with some of the main breeding Banded and Black-fronted Dotterel, and rescued from a cat near Upper Hutt on 1/12 beaches producing fewer or even no chicks, numerous waterfowl including Grey Teal and and taken into the care of Dawne Morton at but overall there should be close to 100 new Australasian . I also found a male Whanganui-Manawatū Bird Rescue Centre in chicks fledged. My own beach had over 25 Northern Shoveler in breeding plumage. As Turakina before being released at Upokongaro nests from 7 pairs and ironically the only usual in January our annual ‘Beach, Birds near Whanganui on 10/1. Dawne arranged for chicks fledged were 3 from the “Dogs off lead and BBQ’ was held on a lovely day. For those Paul to oversee the release of this migratory zone”. An interesting wreck in November on of us who also wandered down to the beach vagrant from Asia that seldom reaches New Onemana Beach was a Southern Giant Petrel. and checked the high tide roost, we saw Zealand. There was a pair of Brown Teal resident on the NZ Dotterel, Pacific Golden Plover, Banded A few keen birders arrived on the day Onemana Beach lakes that have been there all Dotterel, Pied Stilt, Caspian Tern, Variable to see the bird being released. It flew summer and 80+ Paradise Shelducks on the Oystercatcher and assorted birds in farm off, perching long enough for at least 1 Treatment Ponds in various stages of moult. paddocks. Then we hurried back for a superb reasonable photograph, before flying off At Maungatautari a recent survey put the BBQ. Can you get ‘Michelin Stars’ for BBQing? to sat perched near the top of a tree. Its number of North Island Kokako pairs there – PETER FRYER raptor-like appearance in flight set-off the at 19, a 122% increase on the previous year. local Chaffinches, which spent the next Visitors there are also likely to find that young HAWKE’S BAY hour ‘chinking’ at the cuckoo’s presence. Hihi, Kaka, Tui, Bellbirds, North Island Robins, Bad weather meant we had to switch a Our visiting enthusiasts spent a happy hour North Island Saddlebacks and Kereru. Sadly, planned visit to the Blowhard Bush Reserve observing it and debating the merits or a Stoat killed 7 Grey-faced Petrel chicks that to Ahuriri Estuary in Napier in November. otherwise of including it on their life lists. The were close to fledging at Karioi Maunga. All Seven of us enjoyed seeing the more than cuckoo sat almost motionless, observing its the volunteers are devastated by this but 200 Bar-tailed Godwits that we found resting surroundings, its barred underparts making relieved to hear of the Stoat’s demise. Finally, at the scrapes during high tide, with 2 Red it look much like a Shining Cuckoo. Those a special visitor just off Manu Bay in January Knot among them. Birds at the Southern who attended the release donated around was a Northern Giant Petrel. Marsh included 2 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. $200 to the Bird Rescue Centre, much-needed – KEN WEDGWOOD Pectoral Sandpipers have also been recorded funds for a hard-working but hard-pressed there since. A newly formed Black-billed community organisation. Thank you. – PETER TARANAKI Gull colony has been nesting at the scrapes, FROST The weather was cloudy and cool for our possibly originating from a colony in the October field trip to Lake Rotokare but Ngaruroro River that was lost due to high WELLINGTON that didn’t worry the birds with 27 species rainfall in the catchment. In December Changes in the bird populations in recorded including Tieke, Hihi, North Island there were 165 adult gulls, a small number Wellington City are well illustrated by Robin, Whitehead, NZ Scaup, Fernbird compared to South Island breeding sites but eBird, for example the spread of Kaka out and Black Shag, the latter gathered in their any breeding has to be a good thing for this of the Zealandia Ecosanctuary. Kaka were small colony at the other end of the lake. At critically endangered species. Since then a introduced there between 2002 and 2007 the November meeting it was noted that number of chicks have been produced and and have subsequently spread well beyond Tony Green had received an award from hopefully these will have fledged. the fence, and are now breeding outside Taranaki Regional Council for his volunteer A newsletter from Helen Jonas on the Shore it. Colin Miskelly recently sent me a note environmental work. Tony is busy doing bird Plover breeding effort on Waikawa (Portland regarding the sighting of a Kereru which monitoring and feeding at Lake Rotokare and Island) reports: "Things are pumping. We have just flew by his office window in upper Tory North Island Robin counts on Mount Taranaki a definite 20 Shore Plover pairs now – which Street. Until relatively recently Kereru have among other projects. is just great! There are 10 nests on the go, been uncommon in the central city other than At the December meeting the Cockerams another 3 look to be happening very soon, and a small population centred on Otari-Wilton reported on a recent North Island trip there are 5 families with chicks. Three Shore Bush Reserve and Ngaio Gorge. However, this where they saw Kaka, Kakariki, Whitehead, Plover were seen doing their OE in November was Colin’s 6th Kereru sighting in the area breeding Australasian Gannets, Australasian at Ahuriri, Clive and Westshore, all have between his office in Tory Street and his home Bittern booming, Weka, NZ Dabchick and come back home safely, and were seen on the in Mt Cook in the last 2 months. at Mt Bruce, the White Kiwi and Takahe. island in our early December trip." Nine of us The increase in Kereru in Wellington City The Fryers spent a week in ; birds were visited Boundary Stream Mainland Island in is well illustrated by the eBird records and the few apart from feral chooks, Purple-capped February where those who did the Tumanako series of 5-minute bird counts which were Fruit Dove and Pacific . loop walk saw a NZ Falcon. – IAN SMITH carried out at the Zealandia Ecosanctuary The highlight was the numerous Pacific by Wellington OSNZ. Of particular interest Golden Plover seen along grassy areas; they WHANGANUI is the spread of Kereru to the Miramar were more confiding than the 5 (later 3) at 2019 started with a sighting of an Eastern Peninsula. The cause of the increases of Waiongana. On returning home, a pair of Curlew by Paul Gibson on the Whanganui Kereru in the Wellington City environs is Red-necked Stint was seen at the Waiongana River estuary on New Year’s Day. He and likely to be multifactorial. There has been a Lagoon for a few days. I saw the bird again the next day, but a concentrated and sustained predator control We received a letter from the Rotokare couple of other Birds New Zealand members effort within the city and surrounding Trust asking for our support for a transfer unfortunately missed out. It was last reported bush areas. The spread of birds out of the of Rifleman from Mount Taranaki to the by a member of the public at the end of that ecosanctuary is also likely. In the first series of Rotokare Reserve; after some discussion it week. The bird did not associate with any of counts at the ecosanctuary (1995-98), Kereru was agreed to support the plan. Apart from the other present on the estuary at were only recorded during 3 counts. It should the mountain, Rifleman are absent from the the time: a few Bar-tailed Godwits, numerous be noted that only 10 rehabilitated birds Taranaki region. The meeting ended with Pied Stilts, and small migrating flocks of were tagged and released in the ecosanctuary the annual cuppa, cakes and conversation. Wrybill and SIPO. As far as we know, this between 2002 and 2005. Our field trip to North Egmont starting at the is the first record of this increasingly rare The ecosanctuary now has a breeding bottom car park. Tui, Bellbird, NZ Tomtit and critically endangered species to be seen on the population of Kereru which appear to have Shining Cuckoo among other species were Whanganui Estuary. Its presence provided an been established by unmarked birds from the seen and heard; a brief wander along the opportunity to get news about the sighting small population of birds at the Otari-Wilton Ngatoro Track resulted in seeing Silvereye, NZ into the local newspaper, along with a Bush Reserve and Ngaio Gorge. If this trend Tomtit, at least 4 Rifleman and a North Island mention of Birds New Zealand, the threats continues, they may soon be as conspicuous Robin. being face by waders along the East Asian throughout the inner city as Tui and Kaka are In mid-December I visited Ahuriri Australasian Flyway, and the work being already. – GEOFF DE LISLE Estuary and Westshore Lagoon in Napier; done by the Wader Study Group to monitor it is a wonderful place and the relatively changes in wader populations countrywide. NELSON new ‘scrapes’ and their shallow ponds there Soon after this Paul Gibson was involved Summer banding field trips have been fraught were full of birds, including a Black-billed in another rare-bird event, the release of a with weather problems. Part of the Caspian Gull colony, Bar-tailed Godwit, Pied Stilt, first-year Oriental Cuckoo that had been Tern colony on Bells Island was washed out

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 17 early in the season and with the resulting the Kaikoura river surveys a large colony of decades. The team that has been monitoring staggered nesting it was decided not to disturb 1,800 pairs of Black-billed Gulls was observed pairs of South Island Robins in bush outside the colony this year. Wash-outs also affected (Charwell River). Later observation identified Orokonui Ecosanctuary ended the season White-fronted Tern colonies on Motueka a Black-billed Gull banded in 1995 at Marble on a positive note with probable sightings of Sandspit, but nesting on the Boulder Bank was Point (Waiau River), 55 km away. This 2 fledglings, which would be the first from probably unscathed. Red-billed Gull colonies highlights the benefits of banding. It tells us outside the ecosanctuary. This project will were noted on both Motueka Sandspit and both about bird movements, and at 23-years- continue next season. the Boulder Bank. Black-billed Gulls nested old, reminds us just how long lived some Janet Ledingham watched White-fronted on Motueka Sandspit with several banded bird species are. If we feed this information Tern nest at Aramoana Mole on 21/12 and birds spotted (from the Wairau River) and a into population statistics, we can start to saw fledged young on 11/1. Nick Beckwith couple of nests were found on the Boulder understand the long lag times between poor helped with trap installation at Rachel Bank, and another banded bird. In the Wai-iti nesting success and observable population Hufton’s project on the Wilkins River north and Waimea River catchments Black-fronted declines. We also saw birds with white, yellow branch that protects Kea and Rock Wren Terns again tried their luck. Unconfirmed and red bands at the mouth of the Kahutara habitat there. Regular birding on his own sightings of juveniles were reported but there River. These were hatched on the Wairau, patch included an “interesting afternoon at is more pressure on their nesting habitat from Clarence and Buller rivers, so identifying Warrington” on 19/12, spotting several banded recreational public access issues. them gives us information on dispersal. and flagged Bar-tailed Godwits; Little, Pied, There was good news from Golden Bay. A We carried out our third survey of the Spotted and Otago shags; Caspian Terns; a pair of NZ Dabchicks raised 2 young on Lake south Marlborough coastline from the Ure Ruddy (rare here); and several VOC Killarney in the middle of Takaka township River to Marfell’s Beach. We found that VOC, nests and chicks. after several uneventful years. They were Banded Dotterel and Pied Stilt nesting success Sharon Roberts has already achieved her first seen as striped fluffy chicks riding on is very low. We also found a number of Little goal for the year, having spotted a Spotless their parents’ backs on 4/12 and remained Penguin beach wrecks, and so will need to Crake at the Mirror Lakes in Eglinton Valley: with them until at least 10/1. Kea came down work on understanding why this is occurring. “Really thrilled to finally see this elusive bird… to the lower slopes of Pohara Beach in early Individually, people have encountered had to wait until 8pm for the tourist hordes December and were watched with delight Fernbird on the Opawa River and the Royal to ease off but finally heard and saw the bird feeding on flax flowers in a local garden. Back Spoonbills present are readily seen feeding checking out the margins… and watched it on the Tasman side of the hill, an organised and nesting at the Wairau Lagoons. There for about an hour as it popped in and out of wader banding field trip on Waimea Estuary have also been Bar-tailed Godwits at Havelock the flaxes.” These brief reports from members in February was cancelled due to Rabbit Estuary and Cape Campbell. – HEATHER DAVIES highlight that we should not overlook what Island being closed and access denied due to there is to see in our own backyards. the extreme fire risk in our tinder-dry region. CANTERBURY – MARY THOMPSON Earlier in the season, also on Rabbit Island, It has been excellent to see so many local nesting Variable Oystercatchers were being birders getting out and about so far this SOUTHLAND watched closely as part of the long-term year, and submitting plenty of eBird lists. The Southland Spring wader count recorded banding programme. Fifteen nests were found This is thanks in part to a ‘Canterbury Big good numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits in all our but only 4 young were reared from 11 nests. Year’, devised by Andrew Crossland, which count areas (possibly a first!). Our old friend Few chicks were banded this year. Predation requires participants to share their sightings the Eastern Curlew was again seen at Haldane by Southern Black-backed Gulls and Cats is on eBird. Hopefully people continue to get Bay (the only curlew reported during our probably a cause for low survival rates. Good out birding and making eBird lists as the count). We also found a new nesting location data has been obtained over 20 years or so. year progresses. Lake Ellesmere has been a there for Royal Spoonbill. We found one nest During Spring, Bar-tailed Godwit numbers hotspot for people hoping to add migratory which contained a recently hatched chick and on Bells Island in Waimea Estuary doubled waders to their big year lists. An unusually 2 eggs. The nest was probably not in the best from winter numbers of c200 to c400 in mid- large number of Pectoral Sandpipers are location as it is easily accessible at low tide. September with some flagged birds among present at the lake with up to 6 seen at once. A Good numbers of Pacific Golden Plover them. Of interest is orange J4, recorded here Hudsonian Godwit, which was first seen last were in their usual location in the New River 6 times, and sighted 8 times in South Korea year, continues to be spotted, often around the Estuary shellbanks plus a smaller flock at the on its northern migration journey. Numbers Yarrs Bay and Wolfes Road Bay area. Another head of Awarua Bay. I checked the Caspian increased to c1,000 on 23/10 including 75 interesting sighting is that of 2 Gull-billed Tern colony during the count and it looked juveniles, the first seen among the adult Terns, which have been seen recently around as though their first nesting attempts had arrivals. Also roosting with the godwits were Wolfes Road and Embankment Road. possibly been washed out during some very c400 Red Knots, a single juvenile Red-necked A Little Tern was spotted at the Ashley high tides as they were much further back on Stint and a regularly reported Whimbrel. A Estuary on 5/11, and the following day the shellbanks than usual. Re-nesting looked Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was seen on a previous both a Little Tern and a Common Tern were likely as some birds were displaying and visit. – GAIL D. QUAYLE seen there. Neither have been reported others were copulating. This is the southern- since, although a Little Tern was seen at most Caspian Tern colony in New Zealand and MARLBOROUGH the Hurunui River Mouth in late January. it usually numbers around 30 pairs, having The Marlborough region will be hosting the A Sanderling continues to be seen at the remained stable for many years. next Youth Camp during Easter at Watson’s Ashley, but the Grey-tailed Tattler seen last Flocks of up to 9 Chestnut-breasted Way Back-backers in Renwick, 15th–20th year has not been found since December. A Shelduck were seen at the Pleasure Bay/Tip April. The plan is for a busy week that enables final sighting of note from that area was a Lagoon in Invercargill, but the male Northern young people to gain hands-on birding skills Pomarine Skua, which was seen off Waikuku Shoveler seen up to November seems to have within Marlborough’s diverse ecosystems. We Beach in early January. vanished since then. There were several will be visiting wetland, coastal, island and A few Canterbury birders have recently reports of a Marsh Sandpiper at the lagoon grassland habitats to see the variety of birds made visits to the Hawdon Valley and in early January associating with Pied Stilts, that live in Marlborough, and build skills in Hawdon Hut. High counts from different which stayed for a few days. Other interesting observing, recording, drawing and examining visits in January include 6 Yellowhead, 2 Kaka sightings were an Arctic Tern at Waipapa birds, along with learning about predator and 6 Kea, plus a Long-tailed Cuckoo at the Point and unidentified petrel and shearwater control, habitat restoration, and species Hawdon Shelter. A Great Spotted Kiwi was species at Waituna Lagoon and Tiwai Bridge reintroduction. Any young people wishing heard calling at night at the Hawdon Hut on a sandspit. Sharon Malva saw a Spotless Crake to attend should contact: kristin.ruwhiu@ couple of occasions. – ELEANOR GUNBY at Mirror Lakes on the Eglington Valley road hotmail.com on 15/1; both crake species have been reported Over the summer months our region has OTAGO from this location. Pete McClelland spotted a been active with surveys and banding. In Our Summer Wader Count recorded several Black-tailed Godwit at Sandy Pt near Daffodil December, the Marlborough ‘Young Birders’ rarities, with Richard Schofield finding a Bay, and Lloyd Esler photographed a tattler once again assisted in banding the Fluttering Wrybill and 2 tattlers at Catlins estuary, and near Tiwai Point. We now look forward to the Shearwater chicks on Maud Island. During 3 Wrybill at Warrington Beach, the first for summer wader count and taking part in the exciting new Bird Atlas Scheme. – PHIL RHODES 18 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 1. 2. 3. 4.

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1. Pink-footed Shearwater off Stewart Island/Matt Jones. 2. Glossy Ibis/Matt Winter/ wildnaturenewzealand.co.nz 3. Black Noddy at Chickens Islands/Edin Whitehead. 4. Hudsonian Godwit at Lake Ellesmere/Mike Ashbee 5. Broad-billed Sandpiper at Miranda/Matthias Dehling 6. Arctic Tern at Waipapa Point, Caitlins/Johannes Fischer 7. Antarctic Tern off Otago Peninsula/Steve Wood. 8. Sanderling at Lake Ellesmere/Matthias Dehling. Bird News Some of these sightings have not received official acceptance by the Sanderlings and a Greater Sand Plover on Farewell Spit (30/11). Birds New Zealand Records Appraisal Committee (1st September A Sanderling duo was also seen at Papakanui Spit (South Kaipara, 2018 to 1st March 2019). 29/12) and singletons were seen at Ashley Estuary (21/11–15/1) and Awarua Bay (Southland, 17/11). January 26th was a special New Zealand Dabchicks bred at Taylor Dam in Marlborough for day at Kidd’s Shellbank (South Auckland) where David Lawrie the third breeding season in a row. A pair produced 3 chicks seen recorded 5,000 Red Knot, 4,000 Bar-tailed Godwit, 43 Pacific on 21/9. A second pair without chicks was seen there the same Golden Plover, 9 Asiatic Whimbrel, 2 Eastern Curlew, 2 Greater day. All 7 birds were reported again on 24/9. Two pairs were Sand Plover, 1 Grey Plover and 1 Great Knot on 26/1. The latter seen there again on 15-15/2, 1 of which had 2 new chicks. A pair 3 species were also seen on 31/1 and 9/2. A highlight at Miranda also produced 2 chicks on Lake Killarney in Takaka (4/12–10/1). was a Broad-billed Sandpiper that stayed from 3/12 to 28/1. A Hoary-headed Grebe was seen at Lake Elterwater (29-30/11, Singleton Shore Plover were seen at Westshore Lagoon, 17/2), and the first Taranaki record of an Australasian Little Napier, (5–11/11) and the Clive River (18/11), and a pair was seen Grebe came from Lake Mangamahoe in mid-January. in Te Tauroa Bay (Gardiner Gap), Auckland (15/2). Singleton A Cape Barren Goose duo was seen at Kaitorete Spit in Hudsonian Godwit were seen at Hokitika (13/10), Porangahau Canterbury on 6/1, followed by a singleton on 5/2. Chestnut- (4/11), Little Waihi (15/12), Lake Ellesmere (13/1–16/2), Matahui breasted Shelducks were seen at Pleasure Bay/Tip Lagoon Pt in the Bay of Plenty (27/1) and Whangamata in Coromandel (Invercargill) during Oct–Nov with a high count of 9 on 6/11. on 19/2, and a Black-tailed Godwit was at Sandy Pt (Southland) Singletons were seen at Miranda on 8/1 and Mangere on 10/1. on 3/2. A Grey-tailed Tattler was at Cabbage Point, Catlins River The long-staying Plumed Whistling Duck duo at Anderson Estuary, on 2/12. Another found at Mangere on 31/12 was joined Park (Napier) were seen on 13/11 and 31/1. A Chestnut Teal was by a second bird on 5/1 and then seen alone again on 28/1. One reported at Tip Lagoon on 8-9/10 and another on the Waikato was also seen at Miranda on 14/2. River at Aka Aka on 26/10. Lone male Northern Shoveler were Singleton Pomarine Skua were seen off Island Bay in seen at Nelson WTP on 10/10, Kaitorete Spit (5/11), Tip Lagoon Wellington (7/10), Ashley River mouth in Canterbury (7/1) and (17/11), and Westshore Lagoon scrapes in Napier (14/12). Two the Bay of Islands (1/2). A Long-tailed Skua was seen in Foveaux Australian Wood Ducks were at the Nile Road pond near Mapua Strait on 16/2. A Laughing Gull was seen at Cape Kidnappers on (29/12, 3/1). 11/10 and a Black Noddy was seen off the Mokohinau Islands The Renwick Black Kite was seen during November and the (Hauraki Gulf) on 3/12. There were also sightings of a Black record of a Nankeen Kestrel at Te Paki farm (Far North, 8/6) Noddy at the Chickens Islands (4/12, 18/12). An Antarctic Tern submitted to the Rarities Appraisal Committee was accepted. was photographed at sea off Otago Peninsula (2/10) and an Arctic Notable tubenose records at sea included a Chatham Island Tern at Waipapa Point, Caitlins, on (31/12). Taiko west of the Bounty Islands (19/10), 20 Grey Petrels off Main Singleton Common Tern were seen at the Tukituki River Chatham Island (7/10), a Pink-footed Shearwater off Stewart mouth (10-11/11), Foxton Beach (14/11 to 23/1) and Waitangi Island (23/1), a Broad-billed Prion off Otago Peninsula (2/10), and near Napier (26/1). Duos of Gull-billed Terns were seen at Lake a report of a Chatham Albatross off Kaikoura (17/2). An unusual Ellesmere (1/12 to 24/1), Little Waihi (15/12), and near Tiwai record was a Little Penguin on the Avon River by Christchurch bridge in Southland (16/12). Six White-winged Black Terns were Botanic Gardens on 28/12, some 8 km inland. Even more unusual reported from the mid-Waimakariri River on 3/11. Singletons was an Erect-crested Penguin photographed ashore at Cabo were seen at Papakanui Spit (29/12), Miranda (14/1), and Southern Domingo in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) in January. Closer to Marsh in Napier on 20/12, which was joined by a second bird (3/1 home, another was seen at Mangere Island (Chatham Islands) on to 14/2). 16/2. A Fiordland Crested Penguin found alive on Blaketown A white Tui was seen in Island Bay, Wellington, on 29/12 and beach (West Coast) on 26/1 succumbed the next day. Another there was a report of a possible Needletail spp over Foxton on was seen at Katikati Point (Otago) on 12/2. 14/11. An Oriental Cuckoo was reported in Greytown on 14/10. A Brown Booby was at the Muriwai gannet colony on 10/1 Then on 1/12 an Oriental Cuckoo brought in by a cat in the and then 2 were seen at Young Nicks Head (Gisborne) gannet Akatarawa Valley near Upper Hutt was taken into care. After colony on 17/1. Another unusual record was a bronze morph recovering it was released near Whanganui on 10/1. A Common Fouveaux Shag seen at Monro Beach near Lake Moeraki (West Myna was seen again near New Brighton Rd (Christchurch) in Coast) on 4/12. There were reports of singleton Glossy Ibis at October and February. Wairau Lagoons (30/11), Spider Lagoon in South Canterbury (8/1), near Miranda (Nov–Jan), Ahuriri Estuary in Napier (31/1, 1/1), Sources: eBird New Zealand, Unusual Bird Report Database, and there were 3 at Kaitorete Spit on 5/11. BirdingNZ Forum, Regional Roundup, and the New Zealand Interesting wader sightings included a Grey Plover, 2 Birders Facebook group.

Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 19